Return on Intuition

How to Use Intuition When Everything's Changing (Fall Transitions, Leadership & Letting Go)

Erin McMahon — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 21:29:11 -0400

What if the restlessness you feel during transitions—new seasons, career shifts, life changes—isn't anxiety, but your intuition trying to guide you forward?

What if I told you that my biggest breakthroughs in business and life came not from pushing through transitions, but from learning to read them like a map? For years, I fought against change. I white-knuckled through career pivots, motherhood transitions, even seasonal shifts—believing that control equaled success. But here's what I discovered: when I stopped forcing outcomes and started flowing with natural rhythms, my intuition became my competitive advantage.

In this episode, I'm sharing how fall taught me to trust transitions, why my running career revealed the power of letting go, and how leadership lessons from Coach K and elite athletes transformed my approach to business and intuition.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

Why transitions are your intuition's strongest moments (and how to listen)
The surprising connection between seasonal changes and business breakthroughs
How elite athletes use intuition to outperform pure talent
The Kundalini practice that changed my relationship with control
Why "forcing it" blocks success and "flowing" accelerates it
Simple ways to distinguish between fear and intuitive guidance during change

💡 Key Takeaway: Transitions aren't obstacles to overcome—they're invitations to evolve. When you honor the season you're in (literally and metaphorically), your intuition becomes clearer and your path forward reveals itself.

Perfect for: Leaders navigating change, entrepreneurs in transition, working parents juggling seasons of life, and anyone who wants to trust their gut during uncertain times.

🎧 Resources Mentioned:

Kundalini yoga for intuitive development
Coach K's leadership philosophy
Shane Battier's "no-stats All-Star" approach
The Inner Game of Tennis principles

Connect with me: Visit erinm.xyz for marketing consulting and intuitive guidance that bridges business strategy with inner wisdom or follow @erinlmcmahon

📍 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes every week.

(00:00) - Welcome: When Change Becomes Your Teacher
(00:45) - Why Fall Transitions Mirror Inner Growth
(05:11) - The Kundalini Awakening That Changed Everything
(07:25) - Athletic Wisdom: What Running Taught Me About Intuition
(12:54) - JJ Redick & The Power of Transition Seasons
(19:16) - Inner Game: Silencing the Critic to Hear Your Intuition
(24:13) - Reading Your Own Seasons of Growth
(26:50) - Your Intuitive Edge: Daily Practices for Change

How to Trust Your Intuition When Life Doesn't Go According to Plan

Erin McMahon — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

What if the life plan you’ve been following—the one shaped by family expectations, timelines, and “shoulds”—isn’t really yours at all?

What if I told you that every "wrong" turn in my life led me exactly where I needed to be?

For years, I lived by other people's blueprints. I took French because my mom did. I chased consulting jobs because they looked impressive on paper. I followed timelines that felt foreign to my soul. But here's what I discovered: my biggest breakthroughs came when I stopped forcing the plan and started following my intuition.

In this episode, I'm sharing my personal journey from external validation to inner knowing—including how ignoring my gut kept me stuck, and how trusting it landed me at Google and beyond.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

Why following family expectations and societal timelines can derail your true path
How I turned career "failures" into unexpected opportunities
The red door vs. yellow door exercise that transforms how you view setbacks
Simple daily practices to strengthen your intuitive decision-making
Why embracing uncertainty is the key to authentic success

💡 Key Takeaway: Your intuition knows things your logical mind hasn't figured out yet. When you learn to trust it, life becomes less about forcing outcomes and more about flowing toward your highest potential.

Perfect for: Business leaders, working parents, and anyone feeling stuck between what they "should" do and what feels right.

🎧 Resources Mentioned:

Dr. Lisa Miller's visualization technique
The Gilded Age insights on structure vs. change

Connect with me: Visit erinm.xyz for marketing consulting and intuitive guidance that bridges business strategy with inner wisdom or ping on instagram @erinlmcmahon

📍 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. New episodes every week.

The 48-Hour Decision That Broke My Perfectionist Brain—And Set Me Free

Erin McMahon — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0400

What if the voice telling you to 'be responsible' is actually holding you back from your best life?

I almost let my perfectly color-coded calendar rob me of one of the most soul-filling experiences of my year—all because my ego brain insisted it was "too much"

Main Content: Fresh off a trip abroad and knee-deep in the demands of work, parenting, and a packed schedule, I was faced with a choice: stick to my safe, predictable routine or say yes to an unplanned, whirlwind trip to see my best friend and meet her new baby.

In this episode of Return on Intuition, I'm opening up about the internal tug-of-war between my "ego brain" that clings to structure and that deeper knowing that urged me to just GO. I'll share how leaning into that instinct—despite the logistical chaos—brought soul-level joy, strengthened my trust in myself, and reminded me why the smallest, most spontaneous decisions can be life-changing.

Whether you're contemplating a major life shift or simply craving more alignment in your day-to-day, this story is your reminder: intuition thrives when we have the courage to act.

💡 THE BIG INSIGHT: The decisions that scare your ego often feed your soul the most.

🔍 What I'm Sharing:

How I learned to recognize the difference between fear-based resistance and true intuitive guidance
Why taking small, low-stakes risks prepared me for bigger, bolder moves
My simple practices for quieting the noise to hear my inner voice more clearly
The surprising ripple effects of saying "yes" to what lights you up
How to take aligned action without overhauling your entire life overnight

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe for weekly reflections on clarity, courage, and the rewards of intuitive living.

(00:00) - Welcome Back to Return on Intuition
(00:46) - Last-Minute Travel Plans After a Change of Schedule
(02:32) - The Support System That Made Spontaneous Travel Possible
(04:57) - Reconnecting with Friends & Navigating Motherhood Together
(05:39) - Why Listening to Your Intuition Matters
(08:08) - Quick Wins from Acting on Gut Instincts
(09:56) - Patience When Your Intuition Takes Time to Pay Off
(12:08) - Taking Courageous Action Toward Life Changes
(15:14) - Micro-Steps to Overcome Fear and Embrace Change
(17:23) - Gratitude, Friendship & Soul-Nourishing Experiences
(18:34) - Final Takeaways: Trust Your Gut & Make Bold Choices

Dopamine, Deadlines & Discernment: Reclaiming Focus in an AI-Paced World

Erin McMahon — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:29:35 -0400

Erin is back—and with fresh insight. After stepping away for a short break, she returns not just recharged, but clear-eyed about how easily we lose ourselves in the frenzy of modern productivity. In this reflective episode of Return on Intuition, marketing leader, AI strategist, and working mom Erin McMahon explores the tension between action and intention, dopamine hits and deeper focus, and the ever-growing influence of AI on our sense of progress.

From daily task juggling to long-term impact, she candidly shares how easy it is to default into busywork that feels productive but leaves us unfulfilled—and how reconnecting to our inner compass can shift everything.

Whether you're navigating deadlines, creative blocks, parenting overload, or digital overwhelm, this episode offers both grounding and guidance.

🔍 You’ll learn:

Why dopamine-driven productivity can feel satisfying—but sabotage your deeper goals
How to balance short-term wins with long-term impact
The real role AI plays in your workflow—and how to stay in the driver’s seat
Simple practices to re-engage with your intuition (even in a noisy, tech-saturated day)
How discernment can become your most valuable leadership skill

✨ Perfect for: high-achievers, creators, team leads, working parents, and anyone feeling the pressure to “keep up” while craving something more intentional and meaningful.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe for weekly reflections on clarity, creativity, and the power of intuitive leadership.

(00:00) - Welcome to Return on Intuition
(01:38) - Craving Control: How the Brain Gets Addicted to the “To-Do” List
(03:28) - Intentional Time Management vs. Task Hopping
(05:11) - The AI Shortcut / What It Helps and What It Can’t Replace
(06:21) - Discernment Is the Real Superpower
(08:08) - Setting Boundaries Between Tools and Intuition
(10:31) - Parallel Processing and the Creative Mind
(11:14) - Big Picture Questions: What Do You Really Want to Do?
(13:31) - The 80/20 Rule and Finding Your True Impact
(16:20) - Meditation, Movement, and Mental Check-Ins
(19:19) - Return to Your Inner Compass / The Highest ROI
(20:46) - What’s Next on the Podcast

The Gorilla in the Room: Seeing Beyond the Obvious

Erin McMahon — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:53:13 -0400

What if the most important signals in your life are the ones you’re not noticing?

In this thought-provoking episode of Return on Intuition, host Erin McMahon—a marketing leader, AI strategist, and mother of two—dives into how our attention shapes our reality. Drawing on the famed Invisible Gorilla experiment, behavioral science, and real-world moments from work and parenting, she reveals why what you don’t notice might be your greatest untapped advantage.

Whether you’re a leader trying to make better decisions, a creative craving more clarity, or a parent navigating everyday chaos, this episode invites you to widen your awareness and listen more deeply—to yourself and the world around you.

🔍 You’ll learn:

How your brain’s filters impact decision-making and connection
Why narrow focus can block intuition—and how to rebalance
The neuroscience behind the Reticular Activating System (RAS)
Surprising links between parenting, AI, and perception
Practical ways to shift into a more intuitive, present mindset

✨ Perfect for: curious leaders, growth-minded creatives, parents, and anyone ready to reclaim their attention and intuition in an always-on world.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe for weekly drops on attention, awareness, and intentional living.

(00:00) - Welcome to Return on Intuition
(01:53) - The Invisible Gorilla: What We Miss When We Focus Too Narrowly
(05:59) - The Reticular Activating System: Why We See What We Expect to See
(08:56) - Making Space for Intuition in a Noisy World
(11:51) - AI, Parenting, and the Gorilla We Might Be Missing
(13:48) - The Power of Awareness: Designing a More Intentional Life

The Quiet Power of Intuition: What It Feels Like and How to Trust It

Erin McMahon — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:50:25 -0400

What is intuition, really—and how can you tell it apart from anxiety, overthinking, or impulse?

In this solo episode of Return on Intuition, Erin peels back the mystery around intuition and brings it into real life. She explores how intuition often speaks softly—not with urgency or fear, but with a quiet consistency that guides us gently toward aligned choices.

Through relatable stories and grounded practices, Erin breaks down the subtle energy of inner knowing and how it differs from the noise of stress, overthinking, or societal pressure. From processing emotions and tuning into the body, to breathwork and letting go of outside judgment, this episode is a powerful roadmap to reconnecting with your deeper self.

You’ll Discover:

The key differences between intuition, anxiety, and impulse
How intuition speaks through the body—not the brain
Simple ways to practice intuitive decision-making every day
Breathwork, presence, and somatic tools to quiet the noise
Why intuition is essential for leaders, creatives, and changemakers

✨ Perfect for leaders, creatives, and seekers who want to make more aligned, authentic decisions in a noisy, hyper-analytical world.

🎧 Subscribe to Return on Intuition for future episodes on energy, awareness, and embodied leadership.

👉 Now streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

(00:00) - Welcome to Return on Intuition / What Is Intuition, Really?
(01:02) - Why Intuition Is Hard to Trust in a Rational World
(02:01) - Awareness and Energy: The First Clues of Intuition
(03:08) - Gabor Maté and Energy Absorption in Everyday Life
(04:16) - Anxiety vs. Intuition: How to Spot the Difference
(06:17) - How to Test and Build Trust in Your Inner Knowing
(08:24) - Asking Better Questions to Understand Intuition
(11:15) - Letting Go of External Judgments and Shoulds
(12:40) - Using Intuition for Small Daily Decisions
(14:28) - Logic vs. Instinct: Which One Is Actually Leading You?
(15:38) - Why the Future Is Never Certain—So Listen Inward
(16:39) - Final Thoughts / Trust Your Inner Voice

Don’t Force the Leap - Feel It: The Quiet Confidence of Intuitive Readiness

Erin McMahon — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 14:13:48 -0400

What if your biggest breakthrough isn’t about pushing harder—but knowing when not to?

In this solo episode, Erin shares a personal story that flips our usual ideas of success and participation. When her toddler unexpectedly steps into his moment on the soccer field, Erin is reminded of the quiet power of intuition—not the pressure to perform, but the pull to act when it truly feels right.

This isn’t just about parenting or sports. It’s about how we show up in leadership, creativity, and life. Erin explores the tension between instinct and intuition, the noisy push of shoulds versus the steady whisper of “now’s the time.” You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how to recognize your own readiness—and how to trust it.

You’ll Discover:

Why stepping back isn’t the same as holding back
How to tell the difference between fear and intuitive timing
What it really means to follow the “pull” of your next leap
The mindset shift that makes growth feel expansive—not forced

✨ Perfect for thoughtful leaders, parents, entrepreneurs, and anyone navigating uncertainty with heart and self-trust.
🎧 Subscribe to Return on Intuition for weekly reflections on meaningful growth, mindful leadership, and purpose-driven living.
👉 Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Return on Intuition: Why Gut Instinct Is the Ultimate Growth Strategy

Erin McMahon — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:00:00 -0400

In a world drowning in data, AI advice, and endless “expert” opinions — what if your most powerful guide is actually… your intuition?

Welcome to Return on Intuition, the newly reimagined podcast hosted by Erin McMahon— marketing leader, startup advisor, and mom of two. This trailer episode isn’t just a welcome — it’s a bold invitation to reconnect with the deepest, smartest part of yourself.

Erin has spent years building brands and leading in fast-paced, logic-driven environments. But here’s the truth she couldn’t ignore: the best decisions — in business, parenting, and purpose — don’t just come from data. They come from within.

In just a few minutes, you'll hear about:

Why the podcast is evolving in name
Why intuition needs to be the priority strategy tool
The balance of heart and strategy in leadership and life
A new lens on growth that honors both data and the unseen

Whether you're a founder, marketer, tech builder, or parent navigating the chaos — this space is for those who want to listen inward while building outward.

💡 Ready to unlock the edge you didn’t know you had?

👉 Follow to explore marketing in the AI era, soulful brand strategy, parenting through purpose, and leading with intuition. Let’s lead with heart — and seek the magic together.

Trust the Human, Question the Bot: Navigating the AI Era

Erin McMahon — Thu, 22 May 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Can artificial intelligence be both magical and misleading?

In this solo episode, Erin dives deep into the captivating yet complex world of artificial intelligence. Drawing from her extensive experience in AI since 2021—before AI became a global buzzword—Erin unpacks how AI can boost creativity, speed up idea generation, and enhance problem-solving. But there's a catch: AI isn't foolproof.

With genuine curiosity and critical caution, Erin explores how we can collaborate with AI while staying grounded in our humanity. This episode goes beyond tech talk, addressing real-world implications, ethical considerations, and practical strategies to make AI your ally—not your master.

You’ll Discover:

How AI serves as a rapid-thinking creative partner, expanding your ideas and productivity.
Why AI's limitations require vigilant human judgment to discern truth from confident misinformation.
Practical tips to leverage AI effectively while verifying and optimizing its outputs.

✨ Ideal for entrepreneurs, creators, tech enthusiasts, and anyone committed to thoughtful engagement with AI.

🎧 Subscribe to Seek the Magic for insightful episodes on self-growth, creativity, tech trends, leadership, and purposeful living.

👉 Available now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Rewriting the Stories We Tell Ourselves: Mindset Shifts That Stick

Erin McMahon — Thu, 08 May 2025 12:00:00 -0400

What stories are you telling yourself — and are they still serving you?

In this solo episode, Erin dives deep into the power of personal narrative. Sparked by the imaginative tales her young son creates daily, she explores how the stories we absorb and repeat as adults shape our identity, mindset, and future. Through vulnerable reflections and practical insights, Erin shares how rewriting these internal scripts can unlock clarity, resilience, and a renewed sense of possibility.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, questioned your path, or longed for a mindset shift, this episode will give you the nudge (and the permission) to reimagine what’s possible.

Takeaways:

How childhood imagination reveals adult truth
Why internal stories create real-world limits
Tools to rewrite the narrative you live by
Erin’s personal journey through motherhood and mindset change

✨ This is a must-listen for parents, creators, community builders, and anyone seeking more intention and kindness in their everyday life.

🎧 Subscribe to Seek the Magic for weekly episodes on self-growth, tech, leadership, and living with heart.
👉 Listen now on Apple Podcasts

(00:00) - Welcome to Seek the Magic
(01:43) - The Power of Storytelling
(03:08) - From Innocence to Anxiety: How Adult Stories Shift
(04:40) - Our Brains Are Wired for Narrative
(06:34) - Stories We Tell Ourselves: From ‘I Can’t’ to ‘What If I Can’
(08:22) - Rewriting the Narrative: Owning Your Power
(11:47) - The Hero’s Journey: A Universal Map for Change
(16:48) - Tests, Allies, and Enemies – Growing Through Challenge
(17:59) - The Inmost Cave – Facing the Self
(18:33) - The Ordeal – The Big Test That Transforms Us
(19:21) - The Reward – Discovering Inner Truth
(19:34) - The Road Back – Returning Changed
(20:47) - Resurrection – Embodying the Change
(21:16) - Rewriting Our Own Story – Finding the Hero Within
(21:43) - Magic in the Challenge – Growing Through Difficulty
(22:13) - Closing Reflection – Find Magic in Your Day

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

Instagram: instagram.com/erinlmcmahon

Healing Emotional Dysregulation in Parenting with Nicole Boudreaux

Erin McMahon — Thu, 01 May 2025 13:00:00 -0400

Erin welcomes you back to Seek the Magic with a heartfelt episode that speaks directly to the hearts of parents—especially moms navigating the emotional rollercoaster of raising young children. Joined by fellow mom and therapist Nicole, this conversation dives deep into the real, raw, and often unspoken experiences of emotional dysregulation in motherhood.

Together, they reflect on how becoming a parent not only challenges your nervous system but also awakens parts of yourself that were long buried beneath expectations, shame, and exhaustion. Nicole opens up about her own postpartum struggles—even as a trained therapist—and how motherhood served as a powerful mirror, exposing the emotional patterns she had to confront and heal.

Through their shared journey in the Triggers to Transformation program, Erin and Nicole explore how emotional awareness can become a lifeline—allowing you to show up more present, regulated, and connected in your relationships, especially with your children.

Whether you’re a parent, partner, or simply someone on a path of personal growth, this episode is an honest and healing invitation to pause, feel, and begin again—with more grace.

👉 Press play now to hear the full conversation. You’re not alone, and this might just be the episode your nervous system’s been craving.

(00:03) - Welcome to Seek the Magic
(00:18) - Introduction of Nicole
(02:26) - Nicole's Family Life
(03:05) - Personal Journey with Emotional Regulation
(07:00) - Challenges of Motherhood
(08:01) - Navigating Guilt and Communication
(09:19) - Balancing Emotional Needs
(13:41) - Self-Awareness During Stressful Moments
(18:25) - Managing Meltdowns
(25:17) - Learning through Emotional Exploration
(30:24) - Processing Adult Emotions
(32:43) - Teaching Kids Emotional Awareness
(39:21) - Utilizing Books as Emotional Tools
(43:42) - Summary and Farewell

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Don’t miss this episode if you’re looking for inspiration, whether you’re a parent, community builder, or someone seeking more kindness in the world. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Nicole:
Looking for personalized support on your motherhood journey? Visit NicoleBoudreaux.com to connect and explore how she can help support your needs.

Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/
Instagram: instagram.com/erinlmcmahon

Life, Business & the Sacred Power of Pause

Erin McMahon — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Seek the Magic, Erin is back on the mic with a deeply personal and refreshingly honest solo episode—one that’s sure to resonate with anyone navigating the ever-shifting balance of work, parenting, and personal growth. This isn’t your typical polished episode. She ditches the mic, goes rogue, and invites you into a raw, unfiltered reflection that spans her booming career in AI, a return to spirituality, and the meaningful evolution of her identity as a mother, leader, and seeker.

From breathwork and yoga to sunrise rituals, Erin reflects on how her daily habits are evolving alongside her mindset. If you're a woman trying to thrive at the intersection of career, motherhood, and self-discovery? This is your sign.

Erin doesn’t just reflect—she reframes. With vulnerability and clarity, she explores how our routines, beliefs, and even identities are allowed to shift—and how that evolution might be the most powerful growth of all.

👉 If you’re craving a podcast that bridges business strategy, spiritual insight, and real-life motherhood, this is the episode to start with. Erin’s back—and this time, she’s letting it flow.

Click play and let her story move you.

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Don’t miss this episode if you’re looking for inspiration, whether you’re a parent, community builder, or someone seeking more kindness in the world. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

–

Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

(00:00) - Welcome Back & Going Rogue Without the Mic 🎙️
(01:38) - Building Daily Spiritual & Fitness Rituals 🧘‍♀️
(04:56) - Reflecting on Easter & Finding Peace at Chapel ✨
(07:34) - Attending Nvidia’s GTC | The Power of AI Conferences 🧠
(08:40) - Emotional Return to San Francisco | A Personal Evolution 🛬
(13:08) - Blending Past and Present Selves in Familiar Spaces
(14:02) - Podcasting Plans: Business, Spirituality & Parenthood 🎧

The Magic of Guiding Children to Their Best Selves

Erin McMahon — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode of Seek the Magic, Erin takes us on a journey through her thoughts on recent political events, her admiration for Kamala Harris, and the importance of promoting kindness and understanding despite societal challenges. But the magic doesn’t stop there—Erin transitions into a deeply personal and relatable discussion about parenting, sharing her experiences navigating her son’s unique personality, development, and individuality within societal expectations.

Through candid anecdotes and reflections, Erin explores the delicate balance between guiding children and allowing them the freedom to grow into their best selves. She challenges us to create environments—both at home and beyond—where everyone feels safe to shine, no matter the circumstances. Her story is a beautiful reminder of how even in uncertain times, we can all strive to be sources of light and encouragement.

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Don’t miss this episode if you’re looking for inspiration, whether you’re a parent, community builder, or someone seeking more kindness in the world. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

–

Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

Instagram:

#SeekTheMagic #ErinMcMahon #Motherhood

(00:00) - Introduction / Reflections After the Presidential Election
(03:49) - Navigating Parental Challenges and Societal Expectations
(07:05) - Balancing Individual Growth vs. Societal Norms for Children
(09:10) - Reflecting on Childhood Experiences
(10:12) - Supporting Children’s Natural Pace of Development
(14:01) - Kamala Harris’s Wisdom: Finding Light Amid Darkness

Reset, Realign, and Thrive in Your Daily Routine

Erin McMahon — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Ready to reset your routine and rediscover balance in your life? In this episode, Erin shares her personal journey of overcoming setbacks and getting back on track, offering powerful insights on how to transform your days.

She reveals the game-changing impact of waking up at 5 a.m., giving herself those crucial early hours to meditate, exercise, and align with her goals—before the chaos of the day begins.

Erin also dives into the power of breathwork, sharing how this simple practice has helped her refocus and push through the toughest challenges. Whether you're navigating busy family life or feeling overwhelmed by work, Erin’s tips for managing stress and creating a routine that works for you are invaluable.

What’s truly magical about this episode is how Erin not only shows the importance of sticking to routines but also the beauty of breaking out of them. By embracing unexpected moments and exploring new experiences, she unlocks a deeper sense of joy and fulfillment.

Click play now to hear Erin’s motivational insights and discover how to bring more magic into your daily routine—you won’t want to miss it!

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I discover how surrender can lead to profound insights, greater peace, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

–

Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

(00:00) - Welcome to Seek the Magic / Getting Back to Routine
(00:48) - The Importance of Waking Up Early
(02:03) - Morning Routine and Mental Alignment
(04:08) - Using Breathwork to Stay on Track
(06:30) - Balancing Work, Family, and Holiday Preparations
(08:18) - The Power of Asking Questions Instead of Making Statements
(11:23) - Closing Thoughts: Seeking Magic in Routine and Beyond

Finding the Magic in Letting Go

Erin McMahon — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Erin is back with a deeply personal and transformative episode of Seek the Magic, offering listeners a profound reflection on the power of surrender. After an unexpected hiatus due to an injury and family illness, Erin opens up about the challenges she faced—both physical and emotional.

Through this journey, she learned to embrace the art of surrender, letting go of control and accepting help from others. Her story is a reminder that sometimes slowing down can lead to unexpected growth, healing, and deeper connections.

In this episode, Erin explores how surrendering is not about giving up but about opening ourselves to new possibilities. She weaves in personal anecdotes, such as her painful knee injury and a trip to Washington, DC, to see Bruce Springsteen, highlighting how her mindset shift from frustration to gratitude helped her find the magic in the everyday moments.

Erin’s thoughtful discussion on the importance of rest, mindfulness, and breathwork will inspire anyone seeking balance in their hectic lives.

Ready to explore the magic of letting go? Click play now to join Erin on this heartwarming journey of resilience and renewal.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I discover how surrender can lead to profound insights, greater peace, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

–

Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

(00:00) - Welcome Back to Seek the Magic | Erin's Life Update & Gratitude
(04:00) - Surrendering to the Process: A Spiritual Lesson in Healing
(06:39) - Finding Joy in Unexpected Places
(10:58) - Responding, Not Reacting; Letting Go of Expectations
(15:07) - The Role of Breathwork in Healing
(16:37) - Closing Thoughts

We All Live with a Brilliant Disguise

Erin McMahon — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Erin takes listeners on a captivating journey into the depths of self-exploration in this enlightening episode of Seek the Magic. She delves into the transformative concept of shadow work, a psychological exploration introduced by Carl Jung. She draws a compelling connection between this deep self-reflection and the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen's Brilliant Disguise, offering listeners a fresh perspective on self-acceptance and vulnerability.

Erin discusses the importance of understanding the hidden or suppressed parts of ourselves—the aspects we often feel ashamed of—and how exploring these elements is key to achieving wholeness. The episode also examines how our evolving sense of self impacts relationships and how revealing our true selves can lead to more meaningful connections.

Tune in to explore the magic of self-discovery and learn how embracing your shadow can help you live more authentically.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

(00:00) - Welcome to Seek the Magic
(00:19) - What is Shadow Work?
(01:37) - Bruce Springsteen’s “Brilliant Disguise”
(04:12) - The Complexity of Relationships and Self-Discovery
(04:57) - Revealing Our True Selves in Relationships
(07:26) - Trust, Insecurity, and Growth
(08:50) - The Spiritual and Human Nature of Doubt
(10:15) - Embracing the Shadow: Self-Acceptance and Personal Growth
(11:28) - Finding Magic in the Unlikely

Unlocking Olympic-Level Performance

Erin McMahon — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Erin delves into the mental and emotional strength required to perform on the world stage. She reflects on the current Olympic Games and the incredible mental and emotional strength required by athletes to perform at the highest level. Drawing inspiration from the recent success of the USA men’s gymnastics team, she explores the deep connection between physical performance, mindfulness, and emotional control.

Erin also shares her personal experiences from her days as a competitive runner, highlighting the importance of staying mentally centered and focused, not just in sports but in everyday life.

Whether you’re an athlete or simply navigating life’s challenges, this episode offers valuable wisdom on how to overcome fear, focus on your strengths, and truly seek the magic in every moment.

Tune in to discover how the magic of the Olympics can inspire you to approach life with the same determination and mindfulness as the world’s greatest athletes.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

(00:00) - Welcome to Seek the Magic / Erin's Olympic Inspiration
(00:33) - Bronze for USA Men's Gymnastics / The Magic of Sports
(03:03) - The Power of Visualization in Competition
(04:05) - Finding the Zone / Separating Fear from Performance
(05:00) - The Everyday Application of Athletic Insights / Embracing Full Potential

Harnessing the Power of Sound and Breath with Kris Batzner

Erin McMahon — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 12:00:00 -0400

Erin delves into the mystical world of divine feminine energy and the transformative practice of Kundalini Yoga. Joined by Kristin Batzner, an intuitive expert, Erin explores the profound impact of reconnecting with one's intuition and the body through these ancient practices.

Kristin's journey began with a lifelong passion for yoga, which took a profound turn when she discovered Kundalini Yoga. This practice, deeply rooted in divine feminine energy, revolutionized her world, integrating sound, breath, and the vibrational essence of our beings.

But what exactly is Kundalini Yoga? Kristin explains its unique focus on breath and specific repetitive movements, setting it apart from traditional Western yoga practices. This energetic practice aims to open the primary channels and chakras, creating a resonance chamber within our bodies through the use of sound vibrations. The result? A spiritual practice that not only engages the body but elevates your entire being.

Erin and Kristin also discuss the importance of intuition and how everyone can harness this innate ability. Kristin's approach to divine feminine energy, emphasizing fluidity, intuition, and emotional awareness, provides listeners with practical steps to start their own journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

Kristin's wisdom and experiences provide a powerful reminder of the magic that lies within us all, waiting to be unlocked.

Are you ready to explore the depths of your own intuition and embrace the magic within? Click play now to listen to this enlightening conversation and embark on a journey that could change your life.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

Connect with Kristin Batzner:

Website: https://www.krisbatzner.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kris.batzner/

Sacred Feminine Embodiment Coaching

https://www.krisbatzner.com/page/279003-embodied-coaching

(00:00) - Welcome & Introduction
(01:55) - Understanding Kundalini Yoga
(04:24) - Kristen's First Experience with Kundalini Yoga
(06:05) - Tips for Beginners in Kundalini Yoga
(07:18) - Kundalini Yoga's Impact on Addiction
(09:15) - Exploring the Divine Feminine Intuition
(12:01) - Reconnecting with the Body
(13:59) - Addressing Physical Manifestations of Disconnection
(15:11) - Cultivating Intuition
(16:32) - The Duality of Sensation Practice
(18:09) - Understanding Emotions Beyond Basic Feelings
(19:06) - Practicing Emotional Connection
(23:25) - Connecting with Kristen’s Community

My Toddler the Comedian: The Magic of Humor in Everyday Moments

Erin McMahon — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

In this enchanting episode of "Seek the Magic," Erin invites you into a heartwarming exploration of everyday joy through the lens of her one-year-old daughter’s budding sense of humor. As Erin shares delightful anecdotes of her daughter’s playful antics, she beautifully illustrates how even the simplest moments can bring immense joy and connection.

Through this episode, you'll be reminded of the beauty of seeking joy in the little things, the art of creating connections through shared laughter, and the importance of not taking life too seriously. Erin’s reflections are not just about her daughter’s humor but also about how we can all infuse a bit of magic into our everyday lives.

Join Erin in discovering the magic of humor and connection in the simplest of moments. Don’t miss out on this heartwarming journey that promises to leave you smiling and inspired.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

(00:00) - - Introduction and Humor in Early Childhood
(01:32) - - Understanding Humor in Toddlers
(03:07) - - Humor as a Connection Tool
(04:39) - - The Role of Humor in Parenting
(06:22) - - Lessons from Toddler Humor
(07:10) - - Practical Application of Humor
(08:32) - - Closing Thoughts

Unlocking Your Inner Power with Andrea

Erin McMahon — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 12:00:00 -0400

Erin invites you on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Joined by Andrea, a transformational coach with a fascinating story of transitioning from a career in law to a life dedicated to energy healing. Andrea shares her personal journey, filled with challenges and revelations, and how the pandemic was the catalyst that led her to her true calling.

Andrea recounts her strict upbringing, her initial career in law, and the profound shift that occurred when she discovered personal development and energy healing. Her story is a testament to the power of following your joy and curiosity, even when the path seems unclear. Andrea explains the incredible impact of working with a coach, the unblocking of her chakras, and the concept of limiting beliefs.

Andrea’s story is not just about healing; it's about finding alignment with your true self and living a life of purpose and fulfillment. Her experiences and insights provide a roadmap for anyone seeking to break free from limitations and embrace their highest potential.

Don't miss this conversation filled with wisdom, practical tips, and inspiring stories. Click play to listen now and take the first step towards awakening your true potential!

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

Connect with Andrea Fung:

Website: https://andreafung.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theandiventures/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Andi.FWL/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/andrea.fungwl

(00:00) - Welcome Andrea / The Transition from Law to Energy Healing
(01:52) - Catalyst for Change / First Encounter with Energy Healing
(04:28) - Lessons from Law
(07:15) - From Social Media to Mindset Coach
(09:24) - Discovering Data Healing
(11:28) - Integrating Therapy with Energy Healing
(15:10) - Navigating Theta State: Techniques and Guidance
(20:00) - Exploring Past Lives: When and How to Approach
(22:14) - Connecting with Inner Self
(24:00) - Practical Applications of Energy Healing: Personal and Shared Experiences
(28:02) - Embracing Joy and Inner Work / Key Takeaways
(30:06) - Connecting with Andrea / How to Learn More and Reach Out

The Magic of the Moon: How Women's Cycles Can Connect Us to Our Inner Strength with Claire

Erin McMahon — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0400

Erin dives into the mysteries and power of hormonal cycles and personal thinking styles with inspiring guest, Claire. Claire is a certified health coach who specializes in helping women understand and leverage their power. Claire's unique journey from a professional dancer in England to a health coach in Australia has equipped her with profound insights into the hormonal journey women experience. As a late-diagnosed ADHD mom, Claire shares her story of discovery, self-acceptance, and empowerment, offering valuable wisdom for women and families alike.

Claire introduces the concept of cycle thinking, a method for aligning daily activities with the four phases of the menstrual cycle—Wisdom, Daring, Harmony, and Freedom. By tracking and understanding these phases, women can optimize their energy and productivity. From the daring phase, perfect for tackling heavy workloads, to the wisdom phase, an ideal time for self-care and reflection, Claire’s approach is both empowering and practical.

Imagine a life where you can plan your tasks and activities around your hormonal strengths, leading to more productivity, better self-care, and a deeper understanding of yourself. Claire’s insights are not just theoretical; she shares how implementing this knowledge has transformed her family dynamics, creating harmony and mutual understanding.

Tune in to this empowering episode of Seek the Magic and discover how understanding your hormonal cycles can lead to a more harmonious and empowered life. Claire’s insights and practical tips will inspire you to embrace your natural rhythms and unlock your true potential. Learn more about Claire's insights and services at https://femmway.com/ and on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/femmwaylife/.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀 Ready to unlock the secrets to a more empowered and harmonious life? Don’t miss this enlightening episode. Join Erin and Claire as they explore the power of hormonal cycles. Your journey to understanding and celebrating your hormonal superpowers starts here.

Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

Connect with Marie Claire

Website: https://femmway.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femmwaylife/

(00:00) - Welcome to Seek the Magic / Introduction to Claire
(01:26) - Discovering Hormonal Cycles and Their Impact
(03:35) - The Concept of Cycle Thinking
(07:30) - The Four Phases and Practical Applications of Hormonal Superpowers
(08:40) - Embracing the Power in Every Phase
(11:00) - Creating Family Harmony with Cycle Awareness
(12:12) - Teaching Hormonal Awareness to Children and Partners
(14:15) - Expanding the Knowledge to the Community
(16:30) - Claire's ADHD Journey and Family Impact
(20:00) - Recognizing ADHD Symptoms in Women
(23:03) - Leveraging Strengths and Compensating for Weaknesses
(24:25) - Managing Rejection Sensitivity / Improving Communication
(27:00) - Exploring Hormonal Cycles and Self-Awareness
(29:35) - ADHD Awareness Resources / Utilizing Social Media for ADHD Support
(32:40) - Embracing the Feminine Experience and Personal Growth
(33:30) - The Moon vs. Sun Metaphor for Hormonal Cycles
(34:52) - How to Connect with Claire and Learn More

The Chaos Beyond Normal

Erin McMahon — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 11:45:56 -0400

Erin shares a raw and heartfelt glimpse into an out of the ordinary week. Faced with a household sickness outbreak, she dives deep into the chaos that disrupted her routine, balancing work, childcare, and personal wellness. She candidly recounts the struggles of maintaining equilibrium and how it led to reinforcing and deepening her understanding of lessons learned through meditation and breathwork.

As she prepares to introduce exciting new guests to her podcast, Erin invites you to join her in exploring diverse perspectives and the magic in everyday life.

Tune in to discover how Erin chaos into a deeper understanding of self and connection. Her story will resonate with anyone seeking balance and purpose amid life's storms.

Click play to immerse yourself in a tale of perseverance, gratitude, and the pursuit of magic in unlikely places.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀 Tune in to hear how embracing life's disruptions can lead to surprising moments of clarity and growth.. Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinlmcmahon/

The Power of Serendipity

Erin McMahon — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Erin McMahon invites you to discover the enchantment of serendipity. Dive into this captivating discussion where Erin passionately reveals how life's unexpected moments and delightful surprises can transform your journey in the most magical ways.

Erin emphasizes that balancing logic with intuition and being open to moments of surprise can lead to immense creativity and personal growth. She connects serendipity to the brain's default mode network, explaining how daydreaming and mind-wandering can spark creative breakthroughs.

Are you ready to experience greater magic, excitement, and delight in your life? Erin encourages you to follow those spontaneous connections and inspirations. Embrace new experiences and trust in the unexpected. This episode is your invitation to seek out the magic in everyday life and let serendipity guide you to beautiful places.

Click play now and let Erin McMahon inspire you to welcome the enchanting power of serendipity into your world. Don't miss out on this insightful and transformative episode of Seek the Magic.

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Join me on the Seek the Magic podcast as I share the insights I discover, the joy I experience, and how we can all find more magic in our everyday lives. ✨🚀 Tune in to explore the enchanting world of serendipity and unexpected connections that can transform our lives. Listen to the latest episode on your favorite platform: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seek-the-magic/id1742650919. New episodes are released weekly, so be sure to subscribe and stay inspired!

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Connect with Erin McMahon:

Website: https://erin-mcmahon.mykajabi.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlmcmahon/

(00:00) - Introduction: Embracing Serendipity
(00:21) - Defining Serendipity
(02:29) - Serendipity in Popular Culture
(03:35) - Following Serendipitous Leads
(05:07) - How Serendipity Shapes Relationships
(06:57) - The Science Behind Serendipity and Creative Thinking
(07:22) - Embracing Serendipity Despite Fear
(07:52) - Encouraging Growth Through Unexpected Connections
(09:10) - Final Thoughts on Serendipity and Personal Growth

Body, Breath, and Mind Magic

Erin McMahon — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Erin McMahon opens up about the inner voice work that has helped her sort through emotions in the past year. Connecting to her spirituality taught her about her inner voice and how emotions and the feelings associated with them don’t simply live in the mind but manifest in the body. She shares her technique for learning how to feel emotions and work through them with intention. It’s the magic of understanding mind and body and the way memories and emotions live between both.

Inspired by the teachings of Bella Lively, Eckhart Tolle, and Michael Singer’s writings, Erin learned how to identify where different emotions were living in her body, which was a completely new concept for her. She understood then how blocks would form in processing the emotions because they were held in stress or tightness. What she shares is the process of understanding the story of an event in life and the memory of what occurred and then identifying the emotion attached to it and separating it. In separating the emotion, it can truly be felt. Once felt it can be worked through. Join Erin for exploring the revelatory process of scanning body and mind for blocks and learning how to release them to move forward with a lighter feel and a calmer mind.

Resources discussed in this episode:

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Contact Erin McMahon:

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Transcript

Erin McMahon: [00:00:02] Hello and welcome to Seek the Magic. Today I want to talk about something that has changed over the past year for me, and that is really getting into my emotions and feeling them in my body as opposed to just my head. And really, you know, separating what's going on in my mind from what is going on in the rest of me and kind of just navigating that and feeling more in my body than just in my mind. I think prior to connecting with a lot of spiritual works and first the work of Bella Lively, who taught me about my inner voice and then, you know, other work with Eckhart Tolle and many others, I mainly thought about just my mind as a mind doing its thing. And then, of course, after reading Michael Singer's book about, you know, looking at what is happening in the mind and then observing what is happening in the mind, I realized that, you know, there is sort of a duality in terms of what's happening in our head at all times. And so that sort of got me into speaking and thinking about the inner voice and versus what is, you know, running in my mind and the thoughts that I used to kind of let take over my emotions and everything like that.

Erin McMahon: [00:01:22] When I started learning about inner voice and how to connect with your inner voice, there's a technique associated with that where you quiet your mind and you breathe out as you try to listen to your voice, as you ask a question to your inner voice, then you breathe out. So your kind of constant chatter of thoughts quiets, and then you can hear your inner voice more. Part of Bella Lively's technique in doing that is if you can't hear your inner voice, it may be because you have an emotion blocked somewhere, and when she references that, she says, it's important to feel where that might exist in your body and to feel through it. A lot of the times it is in people's chest or in their shoulders or wherever, but just the act of doing a body scan and taking yourself out of your head and into your body was totally new to me. And this is you know, I've always been very active, like in terms of exercise, working out, so I felt like I had been connected to my body. But in terms of being mindful with my body and sort of still and understand what is happening and where different emotions were living and/or stored in my body, that was a completely new concept to me. And it was revelatory and amazing because I noticed, you know, yes, I did have blocks because I never really tried to clear them before. So of course, once I started sort of scanning my body and understanding where I felt, you know, different stress or tightness, I could, you know, identify emotions that were potentially living in one place or another.

Erin McMahon: [00:03:14] Typically it's not a completely transparent thing. I think when I first heard about this concept, it sounded foreign and it took me a while to grasp and understand it. But the idea is to feel where there's a tightness or a heaviness or something like that in your body and try to breathe through it. And typically, if you're asking yourself a question and then you are not hearing a clear answer from your inner voice, then that block is somehow associated with keeping you from connecting to your inner voice. And so the block is usually associated with an emotion that is standing between those two things. For example, like if I say I'm, you know, inner voice why, you know - well, it's hard to give examples - inner voice why do I have trouble speaking in front of an audience? And this is, you know, a question that I had and I've confronted many times in my life and now I've processed through it, but I think the answer is still blocked with the fear of judgment. And it's something that I've worked through and hopefully I'm making progress on because I'm, you know, speaking over the internet waves to, you know, whoever decides to listen. But, you know, that's something that was, you know, a tightness in my chest and a block.

Erin McMahon: [00:04:48] And when I felt that block, sometimes what happens is you start to breathe through it and you feel memory associated with it. And sometimes these memories are associated with, you know, something you felt when you were little, or there could be a trail of memories that, you know, come up as this block and/or emotion that you've felt and suppressed, as it comes up, these emotions and these feelings are stored and usually there are multiple memories associated with them. But then the core memories are when you were little. The practice is to feel the emotion, identify it, separate the story from it, and then breathe through it. And it really helps if somebody else is holding space for you and somewhat witnessing you in this, because then you can process it, express and feel heard if someone is holding a safe space for you.

Erin McMahon: [00:05:53] Express the story to a certain extent, but the point is to separate the story from the emotion, and instead of suppressing the feeling, which is what we tend to do when we're little or as we are going through life to just, you know, survive and to get through things, instead of suppressing the emotion, to feel it, feel it fully. And it really doesn't take that long. And it seems scary at first, especially when you think about the story or the event that is associated with that scary thing. Your head, your mind's, you know, protective reaction is, you know, okay, don't go there, don't think about it, do something else. And instead the idea is to breathe through it, feel through it, you know, believe it takes 90s to truly process through an emotion. And if it takes longer, then that means you are kind of looping your story in with it. But to fully process the emotion and then move on and see if you can, you know, truly connect with your inner voice.

Erin McMahon: [00:07:05] This also helps with not being as tr...

The Magic in Life’s Transition Moments

Erin McMahon — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 01:00:00 -0400

Erin McMahon shares the thoughts inspired by watching the Roger Federer documentary. Federer, the tennis legend, retired recently and the documentary explored not only his career but what comes next in his career and life. Erin reflects on how his situation mirrors a lot of everyday experiences we find ourselves in and what we can learn from how public figures transition through life phases.

How we identify ourselves in one stage of life can come into question when we are faced with a transition or period of change. Who are we in the moment of change? What will we do next? It isn’t just great athletes who face moments of wrestling with their identity as life moves forward, we all experience it. Erin reflects on how one aspect of these transitions is akin to breathing in meditation where we reach something called “liminal space”, or the space between breaths, that place between the inhale and the exhale. In that space, how do we redefine ourselves? Do we take a risk moving forward? We have that moment to decide and, scaling that moment up for the grander expanse of life, that space gives us somewhere to assess our journey and make a choice. Erin shares this and more inspirational thoughts that she pulled from the Federer documentary, thoughts that affect everyday living and offer us insight into how life can unfold.

Resources discussed in this episode:

Federer: Twelve Final Days

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Contact Erin McMahon:

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Transcript

Erin McMahon: [00:00:02] Hello, this is Erin. Welcome to Seek the Magic. Last night I went down a bit of a rabbit hole. I started by watching the Roger Federer documentary, which was great. And I'm not a huge tennis fan, I am auxiliary tennis fan and have had many of those close to me throughout my life love tennis, loved playing tennis and so therefore I'm interested in connection to them. I took tennis lessons when I was little. We lived in England at the time, so I have these memories of all these indoor lessons and these huge domes because the weather was always awful. I enjoyed it, but my hand-eye coordination was lacking in any developmental way to play as I got into middle school and high school and so ended my short run of tennis. Could pick it up again. Maybe will when my kids start playing, of course there's always a draw to pickleball. But anyway, I'm going off on a tangent. Watched Roger Federer's documentary, which is on Amazon Prime, and I loved it because even though I'm not good at sports, hand-eye coordination-wise, I love running, I love setting goals and pushing past them, and I love sports stories and I get so much inspiration from them. This is no different and it gave me a little bit more background into Federer, his decision around retirement, his feelings about the game, everything like that. It was a wonderful documentary in terms of encapsulating his reflection and his career, and also his, what seemed sure about like about retiring and his decision there, but then also his feeling about, you know, moving into the world of the unknown, which is what are you going to do next in your life? You know, I think for athletes, they, even though there's a lot of uncertainty and sort of the art of competition, whether they're going to win or lose, if they are good and they make a decision about their path towards a sport, at least they have, you know, sort of direction. And if they have any success and they're like, this is who I am, this is how I identify myself, and then, you know, at the moment they decide to retire or do something else, there's the question of what is my identity and how am I going to look at myself and present myself and connect with the world moving forward?

Erin McMahon: [00:02:36] That was a big takeaway for me, because I think that's something many of us face in, many of our mere mortals, but everybody faces at some point or another. I think it's valuable to realize how often that comes up, and I find strength in knowing that other people encounter that too. And it is, it's helpful in knowing that there are moments of uncertainty in both personal, professional, spiritual, whatever aspect of life you have or parts of your identity you have, there are moments where you say, who am I? What am I doing? Where do I want to go? And it certainly seems like Federer had that, but dealt with it in a beautiful way in terms of celebrating where he was and seeming to have strength and determination in what he was going to do next. And also, you know, showed celebrating with, you know, his competitors, which obviously we see the rivalry aspect of that on the court, but just overall celebration of the sport. And it was interesting seeing also legends that have come before him, like John McEnroe, you know, sort of usher him into this life transition that they do on a very public stage when they retire. But again, as a very human element of that.

Erin McMahon: [00:04:08] And I think there are certain aspects of those transitions which we can call the liminal space. I was listening to a meditation the other day, and they called it the liminal space, which is, you know, in meditation they talked about the pause between the breath. So between when your body is taking in oxygen and then exhaling carbon dioxide. You know, that is something that we can scale to life and say like, okay, what are those, what are those elements of transition and how can we take those and consider those and use them in ways that will benefit not only where we're going and what will be the most value to us, but also what will be the most value to society. Before I've talked about sort of the difference between the mind and the intuition and where what part of ourselves decides to listen and run with, you know, what the mind is saying, which, you know, sometimes can be smart and helpful, but sometimes can be lead us down a path of concern and worry, which limits what we do and can take that moment of decision and, you know, then we can either go forward and grow or we can hold back and not move forward.

Erin McMahon: [00:05:33] The good thing is that there's always another moment to move forward, and another moment between the proverbial inhale and exhale to decide or to make another choice to take the risk or to go into the unknown versus holding back and, you know, staying within the safe area. And I think what I appreciate it are, you know, looking at others and seeing those moments of strength where they've, you know, gone into the unknown and are facing that, bravely facing those moments of growth and expansion and knowing that often times they've done it before and they've been for the better for it. But our natural instinct as humans is, you know, survival, safety, stay in the known. So those two things are a conflict all the time. And I think it takes practice and also trust and, in my case, spiritual connection to lean into the unknown and go into the space of edge, uncertainty, that will drive and move us forward.

Erin McMahon: [00:06:55] So yeah, that was my experience last night from going down and watching, going and watching the Federer documentary. And then I went down the rabbit hole a little bit more because I recalled that a few weeks ago, he did a graduation speech at Dartmouth that went viral and spoke about his experience, the fact that he had recently graduated too, like the class ...

The Responsibilites of Inspired Leadership

Erin McMahon — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:30:00 -0400

Erin McMahon unpacks the magic of teamwork and working well together in this episode. In order to have a cohesive and effective team, the leadership role in any team is key. Leaders at all levels set the tone, they keep the elements of a team unified, and they facilitate clear communication. Erin’s experience with workplace teams gives her insight into what inspires great leadership and which in turn makes solid teams.

While communication is often the key to a team’s success, the tone of that communication is set by the leaders. Leaders have a responsibility to understand how their team communicates most effectively, on what platforms, and that they’re all clear about the overall goal and mission. Erin’s spiritual foundation drives her to also infuse the qualities of compassion, integrity, and unity in the base level of leadership. She elaborates on how these qualities drive team dynamics while also keeping up morale. What base qualities do leaders possess? Whose leadership inspired Erin at a young age? And how can we each rise to our best in leading and being led each day? Erin’s insight paves the way for an exploration into those very questions.

Resources discussed in this episode:

“Leading with the Heart: Coach K’s Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life” by Mike Krzyzewski, Donald T. Phillips, and Grant Hill

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Contact Erin McMahon:

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Transcript

Erin McMahon: [00:00:03] Hello, this is Erin. Welcome to Seek the Magic. Excited to speak with you today on a lovely Friday. Today I want to talk about the magic of teamwork and working well together. I worked on a lot of teams in my life, and I've also witnessed a lot of teams because I am a huge sports fan and specifically college basketball, I love Duke basketball, but I want to talk about working together and achieving common goals. I speak to a lot of teams, not only on the teams I work with right now at Anchor, but also talking to friends and peers who are in the leadership marketing community, overall tech community, there's a lot of elements that make up a good team or a bad team, and so it's not a one size fits all solution in terms of how teams work well together. But, you know, wanting to speak a little bit about what I think makes an effective team work together and also what, you know, makes an organization work well together.

Erin McMahon: [00:01:12] So first of all, my fundamental definition of teamwork and why it makes a difference in organizations. So communication is key. Deciding on how and when things are communicated, how teams communicate together, which channels they use, which in the distributed workforce tech world is crucial, whether they communicate on Zoom, Slack, Telegram, combination of those things. But learning how and when teammates can rely upon each other and how they talk to each other is very important.

Erin McMahon: [00:01:53] Collaboration, trust and mutual respect. Leaders role in the organization is also very important. The leader sets the tone. Leader and/or leaders set the tone for how teams work best together. So with my team specifically right now, my team at Anchor, have a group of people who are really all-star in terms of what they do and the creative ideas they have and what they come up with. So I feel like my main role when you have team members is to set a clear goal and mission, help them work in their best capacity, and help them develop and cultivate the skills they have and the things they want to do in the best way you can. And also make sure other teams are connecting and collaborating well with them, and making sure that they feel confident and comfortable to take risks and put out their best work. In every organization, there's, you know, a sense of doing your best and providing your best work, but also taking creative risks and not being afraid of failure. So I feel like it is the leader's role to create that environment and do so in the best way they can for their team. Also, I think it's really important for the company to have aligning team goals and making sure that those can connect to leadership. So there are key components to that, and I take my team through exercises every quarter and every year and try to connect to our leadership team on a regular basis and ask, okay, what are those long-term organizational goals? Why do we have them? What are the core principles we want to articulate as a company internally and externally, and how are we going to reach those? And then how do we create tangible goals based on that?

Erin McMahon: [00:03:54] Setting and achieving goals is really important for moving the business forward. So it's important even though we're talking about intangible sometimes company mission is, you know, inspiring and isn't necessarily tangible. You talk about, you know, changing the world or transforming XYZ industry. Those things are very important. And I think those are inspiring for teams. And that's how you can also connect with your customers and advocates to get them on board with what your vision is, but it's also very important to have SMART goals: so those are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. In the marketing organization, it's important to have those. It's also important to have goals that are within that realm also related to content, creativity, branding, etc. so there are ways to measure those, but then also connect with quote/unquote soft goals as well. And it's very important for leaders to set those goals, encourage teammates to come up with and contribute to those goals so they figure out how they can individually connect with them and then feel ownership over them. And if everybody contributes and agrees to the goals, then it is more likely that they are bought into and will help achieve those goals.

Erin McMahon: [00:05:20] So talked a little bit about the intangible nature and this really, I think, is driven at the company mission level, and it's the leadership's responsibility to set the tone. It, you know, can be among the founders of the organization, overall leaders, and I think part of the marketing team's job is to make sure that those are clearly articulated and that they are asking the right questions. So if those goals aren't clear, that the leadership is at least thinking about it and agreeing that it is articulated in a way that they feel comfortable with to both customers, potential customers, as well as employees. As I've talked about in other episodes of this podcast, I have a very spiritual foundation, and even though I don't necessarily infuse that in my work communication, it is a key driver in how I'm thinking about leading a team and how I think about communicating, and really just infuses a lot of my work, whether it gets communicated or not. So I'm talking about at the very base level, spiritual principles of compassion, integrity and unity. So compassion for not only team members, but then also when we're going to market with specific products, speaking with compassion and understanding our user and why they matter. And then integrity speaking, making promises that we can deliver on and that we really believe in. Unity to the extent that the team is all driving towards individual and team goals.

Erin McMahon: [00:07:06] So, you know, ...

Follow the Ping

Erin McMahon — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:20:00 -0400

Erin McMahon talks about hearing a ping of inspiration or guidance in your being that directs you to do something you haven’t done in a while. For her that ping directed her to listen to the soundtrack to ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’. The musical had been an important part of her childhood because she’d love it so the ping led her into memories and some spontaneous singing and dancing. Do we usually ignore those pings? What if instead we paid attention and let it open the door to magic?

When Erin decided to follow that random moment in her mind that led to the singing and dancing, she realized it was a connection back to the joy from childhood and that following the instinct was a sign of her accessing her inner voice. These moments, these pings, happen differently for each of us but we all remember a moment like that and probably remember ignoring the impulse too. Erin explains that through the writings of Sonia Choquette she learned that one of the elements used in increasing connection to spirituality is singing and dancing. Erin explains how listening to our inner voices can unlock things we haven’t accessed in a while and guide us into a new spirituality. She encourages us to be more open to listening to the pings in our lives.

Resources discussed in this episode:

“The God Design: Secrets of the Mind, Body and Soul” by Kelly-Marie Kerr
Sonia Choquette

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Contact Erin McMahon:

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Transcript

Erin McMahon: [00:00:03] Hello. Welcome to Seek the Magic. I had to record a session this morning because I had a magical morning. And of course, the magic of bringing my kids to school is, I love the process of engaging with them in the morning and getting excited. Sometimes drop off can be a little hard, but after I drop the kids off, I had an amazing ride back. So typically what I do on the way back from dropping kids off is listen to a podcast or an audiobook. In this case, I was listening to 'The God Design' by Kelly Marie Kerr, which is absolutely amazing. She talks about the biological processes with the body and how that relates to spirituality and different elements in the Bible, and as a religion major undergraduate and interested in spirituality and of course, now connecting with doing yoga and breathwork, it's just like the magical book that I feel like is just for me. So anyway, listening to that book all of a sudden in my mind I got this ping and it's like, listen to 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat', which was one of the first shows I ever saw when I was little. I lived in London and we went to the West End and saw Joseph with Phillip Schofield, who's now a famous TV host in England. And I was obsessed, obsessed with the musical. It was one of those I had on tape, played over and over and over again, and it brings me so much joy.

Erin McMahon: [00:01:45] But I don't listen to it a lot anymore. I probably haven't listened to it in a year. Sometimes when my best friend from England, who is also obsessed with it, will ping me, I'll turn it on for a minute. But I got the ping to listen to it, and I think it was because in this book, Kelly Marie refers to Bible quotes that align with different elements of biology and breathwork and things like that. And so one of them must have included Joseph, because then I thought in my mind, oh, I want to listen to Joseph. And I think normally I would ignore some of those sentiments or I'd be like, oh, I'll think about it later or something like that. But I immediately at that moment was like, I'm going to listen to it. I'm going to follow this random thing and stop listening to the Audible book, which I was absolutely enjoying, but switch instead to something musical and different and oh my goodness, I switched automatically. I was driving, so I asked Siri to start playing the soundtrack, and I came home and just started dancing to it. And luckily I had time before my call. So was, you know, just dancing around the room and singing my heart out. Nobody in the house.

Erin McMahon: [00:03:12] And I don't love my singing voice necessarily, but it didn't matter because I was just belting it out and had the most wonderful connection to the joy I used to feel as a child and the joy to the music, which is absolutely inspiring for me because it talks about dreams, it talks about a biblical story, it talks about going through struggles and finding your place in the world, as Joseph did. And it was the most amazing thing. And I think part of following that instinct is me getting in the mindset of listening to my inner voice and not trying to run on, you know, my mind and sort of like the I'm listening to an audiobook so that's what I'm listening to and I got to do that. And then when I get home, you know, I immediately need to prep for meetings and things like that, which, you know, it's definitely true and is definitely part of the overall day, but the amount of joy that that deviation and plan based on it, and it wasn't that long even maybe 20 minutes, half an hour,about that, the amount of joy that that deviation and plan put in my mind and in my day and now has sort of acted as a springboard is so significant. So I say that because it is hard for me and maybe hard for some minds to deviate from the norm.

Erin McMahon: [00:04:49] And if it's not, awesome, great for you, but I would encourage you to listen to those serendipitous pings or however you may think of it, and follow the path that maybe you weren't planning on for the day. You know, some days I think we can create the day and just say, you know, wander with what our mind is telling us to do based on, you know, whatever we have going on,. It's great if, you know, you're by yourself and can just go where your mind inspires you to go. If you are - not your mind, but your your being, your spirit - if you have kids and family or you know things already planned, obviously you need to work within the constraints of that and consider others when you are, you know, following these instinctual things. However, it's still quite possible to do. And then you're kind of bringing others into the magic of these pings or, you know, senses of inspiration you're getting and it can really make a difference. But for me, yes, you can designate a date to that or say, like, this is the day we're going to try it. And I think that can help you practice it and maybe get your organized mind in the sense of, okay, we're going to try this out. It's, the mind still feels like it's in control because it's, you know, agreed okay, we're going to try to be spontaneous on this day.

Erin McMahon: [00:06:13] But if you open to the possibility of listening to some of these things during your day and your daily routine, you might expose yourself to more moments of ordinary magic in your day, like I did today. So I think that's the first time that's happened in in a little while, because I'm pretty dedicated to listening to the audiobooks and listening to podcasts and getting things from them or, you know, getting sources of inspiration for them and sort of like then taking that into the day and saying, okay, this is what I need to do with my work. But music is an element that I have not incorporated as much into my daily schedule or my weekly schedule. And just connecting ...

Waiting Is Not Easy but It Is Worthwhile

Erin McMahon — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:10:00 -0400

Host Erin McMahon addresses the times when we are in between things in life, in that limbo space where we’re past one thing and not yet settled on another. It’s the gaps in between life in which we must wait that are often the hardest to deal with. Why can’t we just know the answers immediately? Why is there a waiting period? What good is waiting? Those are the questions at the heart of this episode that Erin examines from her own experience and a place of spiritual understanding.

When Erin decided to switch jobs from marketing at a small AI startup and followed the advice of a friend in looking into Web3, she found that she immediately knew Web3 was what she wanted to work in. Having decided the direction, she encountered that in-between space where she had made the decision to leave the first job and knew what job she wanted but hadn’t found it yet. Those periods are frustrating and make us impatient, we want to move, and we want things now. It was through reading a storybook to her toddler, a book on waiting, that she realized waiting was the right place for her to be until the best job could be found. Erin describes why waiting primes us for the best outcome and how valuable it is to understand that waiting is necessary for things to come together. She explains how to connect with the inner voice that can calm impatience and give more guidance while waiting. The lessons she learned are now ones she shares with us so we can discover that though waiting is hard, it’s worth it.

Resources discussed in this episode:

The Lively Show podcast by Bella Lively

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Contact Erin McMahon:

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Transcript

Erin McMahon: [00:00:03] Hello and welcome to Seek the Magic. This is Erin here. It is a lovely Friday afternoon in North Carolina in the summer, but it's not yet as humid as it usually is. We are enjoying the dehumidified air while we can. Today I wanted to talk about waiting and being in the period of limbo or in between when things are happening. In parts of our life we have, you know, a moment where we decide we want something or we find out there is an issue or a decision to be made or a decision to be made by us or others, and in between the period of deciding or finding out the problem or identifying something that we want and getting to the conclusion, there's usually a period of waiting. And I have faced this before and currently facing this in a few areas of my life. And, you know, I've certainly faced this before. And so I wanted to just talk about it a little bit and, you know, discuss what is the point of waiting? I have to tell you, my mind is always like, I need to know right now. I want to solve the problem. In human design I'm A51 and one of those elements of it is solve the problem right now. Get to a resolution. And in astrology, I'm a Leo and a Virgo rising. And so it's very much like let's put energy towards this. Let's come to a resolution.

Erin McMahon: [00:01:47] And throughout my spiritual journey and moving from the mind to the centered self, I've come to realize how important it is to wait and to appreciate the gap and time between what is and what we want to be. And you know, when we find out the result of something or the way something is going to go in our life. This is very frustrating for my mind. And since I've started meditating and doing breathwork, I've certainly taken these practices to help calm my mind about this. In my personal life a few years ago, I wanted to get into the Web3 space, so I had been marketing leader at a small AI startup that I still do consulting work for, but I fell into Web3. One of my friends said, oh, you're going to love this space. You should learn more about it. And I did, and I said, I want to work in Web3. I want to work in Web3 right now. And I think I determined that I wanted to make this shift in career direction in March or April of 2022. My son was about nine months old at the time, and I thought about it, and I started looking for jobs and I was like, I immediately want to switch. I've made this decision. I'm really enthusiastic. All this excitement in me is just bursting and let's make a change happen right away.

Erin McMahon: [00:03:21] Positive aspect of my personality is that when I get excited about something, I really get excited about it and I totally leaned into it. Which, you know, speaking of human design before is characteristic of a manifesting generator, which will link to human design basics if you're interested. But basically, this personality and blueprint means that if you get inspired by something, or if manifesting generators get inspired by something, then they really get into it and they get into it and they go, go, go. And that is just characteristic of the personality type. And usually they're going in interested in a few things or maybe other people would consider many things. So in this situation wanted to switch job, wanted to dive in immediately, and wanted to find the perfect company. In the Web3 space obviously there, well, maybe not so obviously, in the Web3 space there are a lot of small startup companies. It's very fragmented. There are lots of innovative types of technology happening in all different levels in hardware and DeFi and infrastructure, many different areas. And so there's a lot of different opportunities, and it's important to look and find the right one and really get a sense of the landscape. So, you know, I knew this, my mind knew this, but my mind also had this, you know, fiery sense of moving forward. And I had to wait and sort of both do my research and also feel from my sense of self what felt right and what felt like the right company to work for.

Erin McMahon: [00:05:08] As I was going through this process, we, of course, as one does with small kids, have a bunch of small kids books. And my toddler and I were reading a book by Mo Willems called 'Waiting Is Not Easy'. So as the title indicates, the lesson, the story goes that one of the main characters, Pinkie, brings a, has a gift or a surprise for his friend Gerald. And he goes, Gerald, I have a surprise for you. And Gerald goes, that's great. I'm so excited. What is this surprise? And Pinkie goes, the surprise isn't here yet. And the whole book goes through back and forth between Pinkie and Gerald, saying, you know, Gerald says, I really want to know the surprise. And Pinkie goes, it's not here yet. You're going to have to wait. And then he goes, can I guess, can I guess what it is? And it's a really adorable book. At the conclusion of the book, Gerald is completely frustrated and says, Pinkie, it's getting dark. We've been waiting all day for the surprise. I don't even want it anymore. What's the point? And then Pinkie goes, look! Look at the sky! And his surprise is the beautiful night sky that they can share and enjoy together. I love this book for the overall message it brings, certainly for young kids, because their sense of waiting is much different than adults, but also for adults and specifically for me.

Erin McMahon: [00:06:41] I need to be reminded that waiting is not easy. But you know what? It is and it can be beautiful. Because in that gap time you have a sense of wonder, a sense of mystery, sometimes getting that immediate surprise, in Gerald's case, he couldn't have gotten the surprise immediately because Pinkie first mentioned it during the day. So he cou...

Seeking Today’s Magic in Childhood’s Joy

Erin McMahon — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Host Erin McMahon welcomes us to Seek the Magic, a podcast about finding joy every day by connecting to our inner guidance. Challenged by a friend who was naming fifty things that brought her joy, Erin decided to make her own list of fifty joyful things, and that experience led her to ponder why we don’t do more of what brings us joy every day. What have we lost that we should reclaim and introduce back into our daily lives?

Erin’s list of joyful things naturally included time with her children, working out, running, meditation, and making connections, but some of the things she listed weren’t also things she wanted to immediately do at any given moment. And other things crept in, things that are necessary to do but that aren’t joyful. Erin guides us on how she reflected back on what brought her joy in childhood and why she stopped doing those things. Reading, play, being on stage, writing, and all manner of things that got left in back in childhood. Her promise to herself is to reclaim some of those things and bring them back into her life. Her advice is to maintain two to-do lists: one purely for joy and one about the things that we won’t remember but are necessary to accomplish. Join Erin in learning how to reflect on daily magic and how to reclaim the magic we instinctively knew before.

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Contact Erin McMahon:

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Transcript

Erin McMahon: [00:00:03] Hello, this is Erin from Seek the Magic. Excited to speak to you today. I am hoping this microphone is working because we've had a few issues. It's a journey. I wonder if it's a sign from the universe that I need to get a new microphone. I don't know, we'll see. I was inspired to speak today because I've heard a few messages from various things I've been reading, listening to, even conversations with friends that have reminded me to get back to things that bring me joy and things that I loved from childhood. So I thought I'd share that with you and think about my musings with that. To one conversation I had with a friend was that she went through the exercise of thinking about the 50 things that she loved doing. Of course, it was very easy for her to come up with maybe one, two and three, but as it got down the list, it really made her think about the things that bring her joy. So I decided to make a similar list. And, you know, top things that bring me joy are spending time with my kids, spending time with my family, reading good books, working out, running when I can. Now it's meditation, speaking to friends, really making connections. And I had to think about, you know, as I reflected on the list, I thought some of these things that really bring me joy also aren't things that I immediately want to do in the moment.

Erin McMahon: [00:01:50] Like, do I really want to work out today? Or do I wish I had a break from spending some time with my kids? Or do I wish I didn't have to have a scheduled Zoom session with friends? Yes, that's true. Sometimes I don't want to do those things. And my mind, some part of my mind says, oh my goodness, wouldn't it be just easier to get other things I need to done, get things off of my to do list, or surf the internet, look at what clothes I do or do not need for the upcoming season, catch up on the latest Taylor Swift costumes that have come out from her European tour, anything like that. And you know, that's part of my brain that's seeking immediate gratification, looking for small little hits of dopamine that would temporarily soothe my mind and some of the things that require more effort and take more attention aren't necessarily as motivating. Just like, you know, when I'm with my kids and we're out in the park, it's so much fun. But then there's, you know, part of the inertia or, you know, is getting them ready, going through the process, it takes effort. And, I don't know, part of my brain's like, yeah, I'd rather just hang out and just chill. And I think, yes, there's part of me that just wants to relax all the time, but obviously relaxing all the time and doing nothing really doesn't lead to ultimate fulfillment and great memories.

Erin McMahon: [00:03:37] So I think it's important to take those moments of, you know, what you want to do during the day, and you know what things may call part of your brain into question, saying, do we really have to do that, and just sort of, you know, saying, put that to the side. I know, I know, this will take effort, but in the long run, once you get into something, it'll be really exciting. It will create a memory, it'll create moments, and quite often it does. But man, sometimes that part of my brain, especially when I've had, you know, a very busy week, a very busy day, etc, my brain's just like, can we just chill? Let's just, you know, hang out and, you know, part of that is important and sometimes you have to listen to that part of the brain. But I think it's a balance. When do we listen to it? When do we not listen to it? I don't know, I'd love to know your thoughts or how you think about it. There's other - and sometimes this is the same voice, sometimes it's a different voice - that says, okay, if I'm taking this time to meet and talk to someone, I'm not doing the 20 things on my to-do list, whether it be, you know, something for work, whether it be something that I need to file administratively, whether it be, you know, just a myriad of things that are going on in that never-ending to-do list.

Erin McMahon: [00:05:06] And I think those things on that list, while they're important and while they need to get done, they're not the fulfilling things that I'm going to remember. And maybe that's an important point to note that I should make sure my to-do list is for, filled with fulfilling things that, you know, will make me happy and joyful. So maybe that's a note to self. Maybe I'll try to make two to-do lists. One is going to be the fulfilling and enjoyment to-do list, and then the other one is going to be like things that I really won't remember about in a week's time, but need to get done for XYZ reason. I write myself email note reminders all the time, mostly with those things that maybe need to get done but I won't, you know, remember about in 5 or 10 minutes or, you know, a day. Of course, if they don't get done, like for example, paying the electricity bill, although that's an automated, but, you know, for example, if they don't get done then I will notice that it hasn't gotten done when, you know, the lights go out or if the car runs out of gas or something like that. Yeah maybe it's important to have two to-do lists. One that's the important memories that we have or the things that truly will bring us joy and we'll remember. And then those other things that, you know, we'll have have some time that are important to get done, but we won't remember. Speaking of one of the things that brings me joy, butterfly, and a butterfly just floated past the window, which is an amazing and beautiful sight in the swarm of cicadas that have been flying around over the past few weeks. Okay, so that's a list of things that bring me joy in trying to focus on things that bring joy and are great to cherish in the moment and then future moments.

Erin McMahon: [00:07:02] The other part of this, or in the same realm, is things that brought me joy in childhood, and part of this is part of an exercise of, you know, a class I'm taking about spiritual development and self-development and coaching and things like that, is reflect...